Rating: 
Summary: Totally unforgiveable
Review: After the captivating success of "Rejar" and "Mine To Take", this book was a real let-down. I have no problems letting my imagination run wild (read Mine to Take, and you'll see what I mean), but this is ridiculous!A man whose first introduction to sex is painful because of the "breaching" - his! A woman who owns the man, and a planet ruled by women where men are subservient and play the traditional role of the women. That is going too far. Call me old-fashioned, but I hate it when the man is weak, and the woman "breaches" the man, not the other way around. And to top it off, they have to go to a court-type trial to prove that the man was a untouched when she first breached him, or there would be a scandal! I expected better from Dara Joy.
Rating: 
Summary: Changed my mind about DJ
Review: Okay, here is the story. Jorlan is in danger. Someone dangerous is trying to manipulate a marriage, and seems to be using the mortgage on the family properties to control the family into signing the contract. Green, who has seen and spoken to Jorlan and is attracted, despite, or perhaps because of the thrilling combination of innocence and passion, attempts to thwart the vile villain by tripling the bed-price and getting the contract. Wedding night takes place, complete with virgin blood, and Jorlan is greedy to learn all about passion. Trouble lurks on all other fronts with suspicion, distrust, and resentment brewing. When, against Jorlan's will, a child is conceived, all seems to be falling apart. Eventually, however, the two reconcile and form a strong bond. They return to the city, a duel is fought, and all's well that ends well. Sound like a typical regency romance? It would be, if it weren't Dara Joy's Ritual of Proof. Green is a woman, Jorlan a younger man, and the society is strongly matriarchal. The first half of the book is a mirror-image regency, only the gender roles are switched. Green even has a pleasurer (like a mistress) that she keeps in a house and under her protection. Joy actually does a really good job with this, not going over the top at all. The second half derailed my enjoyment slightly, as Jorlan and Green leave the city and the book becomes more sci-fi (ala Anne McCaffrey's Powers that Be series). It wasn't bad at all, not cheezy or silly, I just really liked the first part, and wanted the parallels to continue. This really was a great book. As much as I (still) hate DJ, I did really like this, and would recommend it to anyone here with few reservations.
Rating: 
Summary: Give this one a skip !
Review: I normally look forward to Dara Joy's books. The characters and location are usually fantastic, BUT, what happened here? This story was just too much for me. Ms. Joy swings from women being totally in charge (read domininering) and the men as total wimps. Oh, except for this one - who later has to be so gifted as to make the story even more unbelievable. I should have stopped in the first few chapters, but bravely made it through the whole thing. Next time I'll stop.
Rating: 
Summary: Not my Cup of Romance...
Review: As ever, Ms. Joy's story is well-written, the plot moves right along, and there are some entertaining bits of humor to leaven the yeast. BUT, a world where the women have taken on the worst aspects of upper class British men during the Regency of the early 19th century? Eeeuuuuw!!! I prefer to have a fantasy/scifi world where people have evolved to something better than reverting back to such terrible habits. This book really bummed me because of that. It was an ok read, but it will not remain in my library.
Rating: 
Summary: Dara Joy is a treasure
Review: I don't know any other romance writer whose books cause such an impact. We still talk about that book and all of her others! I belong to a romance readers group where she is one of our fav writers. I read Knight of a Trillion Stars six years ago and have been addicted ever since. ROP is totally brilliant. Be warned-if you read it-you will have a need to discuss it with your friends. If you are a serious reader, I don't think this book should be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Read it and laugh!
Review: Great fun and keeps you laughing. Write more Dara!
Rating:
Summary: A mis-step or a glimpse into the future?
Review: To begin, I enjoy the Matrix of Destiny series, and hope Dara Joy's problems with her publisher are resolved soon ... I want to read the rest of the series. But as to Ritual of Proof, I spent the entire reading experience waiting for the story to improve. However, it started out poorly and ended that way. I found it tedious, boring, and lacking imagination. She sets the book up as if it is a beginning to a series, but doesn't leave me wanting more. Following MOD, perhaps I expected too much. Would I have been as disappointed had another author written it?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Combo of Satire and Romance
Review: A satirical look at conventional stereotypes for men and women's roles in society, this science fiction novel switches the role of power to women. In forus, the women protect the men and give them purpose through marriage. Jolen Reynard despises this fact, and unwillingly participates in the social strictures dictated to him. Only one woman can pierce his disdain and cause him to compromise himself to become her name-bearer (husband). Green Tamyren, a strong, smart female finds herself irrevocably drawn to the Jolen. Soon she's finding life much more satisfying by treating him as an equal than forcing him into the more traditional submissive role. In the end, when all Jolen and Green hold dear is threatened, the two of them realize the true nature of love, friendship and family. This book weaves it's philosophical discussion in a sensual web and plot thick with witty, sarcastic dialogue. It definitely stands out as a smart rebuke for societal mores as well as being a romantic story.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, but......
Review: It's not the situation, it's not the characters, it's the freaking vocabulary errors. Joy and her editors need to get on the ball here: this is not the first time this author has derailed me from an otherwise good story with misused homonyms and tortured syntax. The concept of a role-reversed victorian romance is engaging though.
Rating:
Summary: A real pleasure to read
Review: This is my first (but not last) Dara Joy book.
Generally, I am not a sci fi fun, I prefer romance in all its forms. But a good writing is a good writing. I did so much enjoyed it, and not only the humor or sarcasm,
of a world where men where treated and regarded as women some time ago (where they really?) but the writing too. Highly recomended,
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